Blackberry Bold smartphone review

Last week saw RIM’s Blackberry Bold – a feature-packed smartphone aimed at corporate users – arrive in our offices. We’ve not had time to play with all the features so far, but first impressions are favourable.

Unlike a growing number of rival handsets, the Bold in operated entirely by buttons. Some users will bemoan the lack of touchscreen, but there’s no denying the effectiveness of the Blackberry’s rollerball navigation system.

The 2.6-inch screen is stunning, with a sharp resolution of 480 x 320 pixels. There are several pre-installed movie trailers that show it off to impressive effect, with details reproduced in full clarity. It’s also more than bright enough for use in sunny conditions. As with all Blackberry devices, the most noticeable thing the first time you use the Bold is just how easy it is to setup. Accessing your emails is a simple case of entering your email address and password, and RIM’s server will forward all your mail on automatically.

The large QWERTY keyboard is exceptional, with chamfered edges that make it easy to write notes and emails without mistakes. The keys are also considerably larger than they are on most phones, making this one of the most comfortable handsets we’ve seen for long-term use. One complaint is the phone’s lack of dedicated keys for punctuation, and it’s quite frustrating having to hold down the alt key along with other buttons in order to get a full stop or comma.

The Bold features a metal-coloured details around the edges, and the back is finished in faux leather. The overall effect is one of quality, and it feels noticeably more expensive than Palm’s Treo Pro – a device it’s conceptually similar to. Features are also similar to the Treo Pro, and you’ll find 3G/HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth all built-in. GPS is integrated, along with Google Maps, so you’ll be able to navigate unfamiliar towns with ease.

It’s too early to say how well the Blackberry Bold works, but keep an eye out here to see how we get on over the next few weeks.